The Song
by Sage-of-the-sky
Summary: Ever since Matt was young, he had wanted to be a singer. He'd do anything to be one; even be on a game show! The Song is his chance to stardom, and a special chocolate-loving, leather-clad blonde celebrity will help him all the way through- or maybe just cause more trouble. AU. MattXMello
1. Chapter 1

Hey, babies! It's Sage. This will be my first story on this site so wish me luck! Also, please comment, but no flames. I respect criticism though. I don't have a beta or anything yet…. So bear with me! If you have any tips for a n00b like me, just leave them in the comments. Thanks!

XOXO,

Sage

"_You should never be embarrassed by your trouble with living, because it's the ones with the sorest throats who have done the most singing."_

― _Conor Oberst_

_**Chapter 1:**_

Mail Jeevas let out a long sigh. Of course, no one really called him Mail- In fact, he _hated _being called that. For starters, it was spelled 'Mail' like letters delivered from a post office, but pronounced 'Mile' like to run a mile. So to anyone who knew him, he was just Matt.

And Matt needed a smoke. _Now. _

The long plane ride from his hometown to L.A. had him fidgety. Come to think of it, he never really liked planes in the first place. But that didn't matter, at the moment. Matt would have swam to L.A. to do what he was about to do. Fortunately for him though, he was escorted via plane.

Ever since Matt was young, he had wanted to be a singer. He was constantly told that his voice could soften even the most calloused of hearts. All Matt ever did was sing. And play video games. And smoke. Ok, so he wasn't singing _all _the time, but pretty damn close to it. The only problem was, his parents didn't exactly approve of this hobby of his. Not that they approved _anything _Matt did these days.

The most certainly did not approve of Matt quitting his job to be on a fucking game show. Though in his eyes- which were always covered by bright orange goggles- The Song was his chance. His chance to follow his dreams; his chance to leave his hellhole of a home.

The Song was a game show where singers of any age had a chance to be a published artist. They would sing in front of a panel of blindfolded judges. If the judge took off the blindfold while the singer was preforming, said 'singer' would be on that judge's team, and the judge would serve as their mentor for the remainder of the game. Matt had hoped to get at least one judge to take off the blindfold; he dared hope for two. Matt knew he was a decent singer, but the competition was pretty intense. And, he wasn't the _most _confident person when it came to preforming on stage. To put it bluntly, Matt had self-esteem issues.

A flight attendant asked him if he wanted a drink or snack, disrupting his thoughts. He quietly shook his head 'no', mentally adding that he wanted a cig, damn it!

Shortly after, he pulled out his 3DS and decided to play Legend of Zelda for the remainder of the flight- about fifteen minutes. The only thing that could distract him from his craving was video games. Video games were his safe haven, a place to retreat among fictional heroes and magic. Submersed in his game, he didn't have to worry about his performance within 48 hours. It was make it or break it, especially in his case. He still laughed bitterly about when he had received his letter:

_Matt had been exhausted, after his extra-long shift. He need the money to buy the latest PSP game. Plopping his back onto his bed, he tried to ignore his parents yelling at each other downstairs. They had always fought, to his knowing. Then, he heard a sickening clap and figured his dad had slapped his mom. Not that he really cared that much, they both had beaten him regularly. His eyes never left the ceiling. _

_**Ding, dong. **__Both parents stopped their yelling. It was almost a peaceful silence, like being in the eye of a hurricane. Quietly, as not to let his parents aware of his presence, Matt gingerly went down the stairs until reaching the ground. His mother had opened the door to what looked like a god of death. _

_The figure wore black, torn-looking clothes and a jagged grin to match. Un-natural, red eyes took in his mother and father, who both gaped at him, as well the camera crew behind him. In his pasty, almost-green hand was a letter; a letter Matt had known was for him. _

_Because the gothic figure in front of them was Ryuk, official Host of The Song. Suddenly, the creature cackled, as if someone had just told him something really funny._

"_Is this the home of Matt?" Ryuk asked between chortles. Mr. and Mrs. Jeevas stared blankly at him. The only other person living in _their_ house was Mail, who definitely didn't go by Matt. Or so they thought._

_Quickly, Matt shuffled up to Ryuk, said a small thanks, and walked back to his room, where he had already packed a bag should this have happened. It was best to get as far away from his parents, who were the only ones to really call him Mail. Yet another reason why he loathed the name. _

_Matt glanced out his window to see Ryuk and his camera crew leave. Hopefully, they wouldn't show footage of him receiving the letter, which read:_

_**Matt Carter, **_

_**Congratulations! Since you are reading this, it means that we have watched the video you sent in and have decided you may have what it takes to be on The Song. In this envelope is one plane ticket to Los Angeles leaving at 7 p.m. tomorrow. The expenses of the ticket and hotel room have been paid for, courtesy of The Song. There will be a chauffeur waiting for you at your destination.**_

_**Good Luck!**_

_Then, all hell broke loose._

"_Mail Jeevas, please come down honey."_

_Now, that may not seem like hell, but understand, Matt's parents were __**always**__ calm before they beat him to oblivion. Knowing what was coming, Matt braced himself mentally, grabbed his bag, and walked down the stairs with his chest puffed out._

"_Matt, what the hell just happened back there?!"Mr. Jeevas screamed at him, before attempting to slap his son across the face. Matt had been expecting as much, swiftly ducking and proceeding to exit the building. Mr. and Mrs. Jeevas were shocked to say the least. Neither spoke a word. That has been the first time the mistake they called a son had ever refused a 'disciplining.'_

_With a final turn of the head, and a "rot in hell", Matt was out of there for good, he hoped._

Now Matt was on a plane, heading to L.A. The night before he slept on a park bench, and it's a wonder his parents didn't go after him. It almost seemed fake, and had he not pinched himself, would have seemed like a dream. Now all he had to do was win over the judges.

The seat belt sign dinged, and the pilot said they would be landing. Matt could not find himself more relieved. He ran a hand through his fiery, natural red hair. Packing up all his stuff and turning off his 3DS, he couldn't help the butterflies that had decided to use his stomach for a punching bag.

Getting of the plane took almost no time, fortunately. Soon after, Matt found himself breathing in the nicotine and feel its magic course through his body. _Much better._ Since the letter had stated that he would be picked up by a chauffeur, he looked around for anything that could indicate where he would be picked up.

A man with grey hair and a thin frame stood by the exit. In his hand, he held a sign with the name '**Matt Carter**' on it. Matt figured that was him, considering there weren't that many Matt Carters in the world. Or, maybe there were. To be honest, he wasn't entirely sure.

"Are you Matt Carter?" The old man asked.

Matt only nodded, for some reason he could not find it to talk. He feared that if he said something, he would wake up back in his old shitty bedroom, and Matt deeply wished he would never have to see his old room again.

The old man must have understood his predicament, because he simply nodded in return and gestured for Matt to follow him. So followed him Matt did; all the way to a shiny limo waiting outside. His eyes widened to the size of saucers- thank god no one could see him through his goggles.

The man held open the door, and Matt slide in gingerly. The limo was almost intimidating it seemed, with its fine leather seats and glowing lights on the roof. It was on the verge of overwhelming, Matt had decided.

The ride was fairly short, but it felt like hours. The anticipation was eating Matt alive piece by piece. By the time they got to the hotel, Matt was a nervous wreck. He stepped out of the car. It was time to face his destiny. Whether he failed or not, his life would change forever.

Matt just hoped it was for the better.

So yeah, you know the drill, R and R.


	2. Chapter 2

Why, hello there! It's Sage! Just want to tell you how thankful I am for your previous comments. For those of you who write on FF, you know that a good comment is like a great big hug and can brighten your day. Thank you for brightening my day. Now, down to business. Sorry I haven't updated sooner, I have been so busy and currently on the search for a beta writer. IF YOU KNOW SOMEONE WHO IS INTERESTED IN BETA-WRITING FOR ME, **PLEASE** HAVE THEM PERSONAL MESSAGE ME! Also, I kinda forgot to do a disclaimer last chapter (I'm such a n00b.) so my apologies on that. Anyway, I'm sure you're done with wanting to read my rant so I'll let you get on to the story.

-Sage

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything belonging to Death Note or any game shows… All I own is the plot. **

"_Singing is a way of escaping. It's another world. I'm no longer on earth."_

_-Edith Piaf_

_**Chapter 2: **_

The bright lights around him caused Matt to blink a few times and take in the scenery. If L.A. was one thing, it was bright. Lights adorned each building, and there was a constant bustle of people. Matt ran a hand through his fiery red hair and decided that he quite liked the busyness of it all.

_The Note. _That was what the hotel was called that Matt and the other contestants would stay at. Would Matt have a roommate? He hoped not, as making friends didn't come so naturally to him. The doors to _The Note_ were complete glass and very modern, as were two of the four elevators taxiing people to their rooms.

The old man- who had not mentioned his name to Matt, Matt had realized- calmly strode into one of said 'glass elevators' and motioned for Matt to door the same, all the while carrying Matt's luggage. It appeared Matt would be staying on the thirteenth floor, which struck him as odd. Hotels weren't supposed to have thirteen floors. It was bad luck.

"_The Note _has graciously allowed us to rent out the two top floors, for you and the contestants you will be competing against. I trust you will treat them all kindly and be a good sport."

Matt again nodded and stared at the people below them who were getting farther and farther away as he and the old man ascended to the top floor. None looked back up at him; they were too busy going about their lives. Some were just checking in, others were leaving. Some sat on the fancy black and white leather sofas and chatted animatedly. The hotel itself was a bee-hive, constantly moving and very much alive.

They were almost at the top, and Matt could feel the butterflies that were currently residing in his stomach fluttering madly, like they were trying to break free of their confines. A lone ding signaled that they were at the top. _Breathe in, breathe out. _Matt continued repeating the mantra to himself.

Though, he was nervous for nothing. Nobody was even in the hallway. They were in their rooms already, it seemed. It was eerily quiet. That was close…

"OH MY GOD, GET AWAY FROM ME, FREAK! Watari, thank god you're here. I NEED a new roommate, this guy scares the shit out of me!" A middle-aged man in a business-y suit yelled after opening the hotel room door with the force of The Hulk. Watari was the name of the old man, Matt had deduced.

The man, now known as Watari, gave the man a questioning look.

"What is the problem, Higuchi?"

Higuchi took a moment to let out a few angry breaths. "Last night, I woke up around mid-night feeling like someone was watching me. I turn around to find him-" he pointed a finger at the strange man that now stood in the doorway "-sitting on his bed, STARING at me; for no reason! Now today, I walk in to find that he is lying on my bed, fiddling with a knife! And it had something red on it! He's just sitting there, cackling like the sick fuck that he is."

"I have no idea, what you are talking about, Higuchi," The man in the doorway answered coolly. His hair was jet black and sticking up in random directions, reminding Matt of a porcupine. He wore a black shirt and dark jeans. He seemed to look like a recluse with no sense of hygiene that didn't get out in the sun much, but not psychotic enough to stalk people and absentmindedly play with sharp objects on other people's property. But then, Matt saw his eyes. They were blood red, and something about them made Matt uncomfortable, like maybe he did do those things, because he _enjoyed _watching people squirm.

Higuchi eyed him warily, as if the man would come after him right then. Watari glanced at the two, and then at Matt.

"I see. Beyond, you will move to room 1306, until I find you another room. Do not do this again, or I will be forced to kick you off the show. Matt, you will room with Higuchi, for the time being. I want no more funny business. Now, if you excuse me, I have to deliver some sweets to room 1309." With that, Watari left, humming the tune to a song Matt had never heard of.

The man who Matt assumed to be Beyond began to cackle. Matt watched as he disappeared behind the door, still laughing. Then, it was just him and Higuchi.

"Hey, I'm Higuchi, what's your name?" the man smiled, but it was anything but genuine. It was oily, and manipulative, like the man who wore it.

"Matt, Matt Carter," Matt stated. He kept his eyes to the ground. It would be smarter not to let the man in on too much; they were soon to compete, after all. Higuchi appeared to be the type to find out someone's weakness and use it to crush anyone down to save his own ass. Matt loathed those kinds of people.

"Well, nice to meet you, kid. Look, I'll let you in on some advice: Stay out of my shit and I'll stay out of yours," Higuchi stated, and watched as Beyond came back to the hallway with a lone suitcase and a mysterious jar of something dark and squishy… maybe jam? The suitcase looked like it had been packed in a hurry, bits and pieces of clothes hanging out the side. Matt wondered what else could be in there. Beyond turned to the two.

"Well, I better get to my new room" -A chuckle- "It's a shame I won't have a roommate anymore. Oh well. It was nice meeting you, Matt Carter."

Cackling in that odd way of his, Beyond disappeared around the corner. Hopefully, not all the contestants were as wily as Higuchi or just plain creepy like Beyond. Matt wasn't sure he would be able to take it.

The room he shared with Higuchi was classy and modern, like everything else in the hotel. Outside the nearly-invisible window, Matt could see a large portion of the sparkling city below him- and above him; some of the buildings stretched far beyond the height of _The Note. _The ground was littered with palm trees, and a thick cloud resided around the taller skyscrapers.

Matt pulled out his 3DS and continued where he left off from the plane. Once again, he was lost amongst the characters for god knows how long. Higuchi was in the bed tremendously spaced away from Matt's, reading a book.

Sometime later- whether it was hours or minutes, Matt wasn't sure- there was a knock on the door. There were noises outside the door that indicated everyone was going somewhere. Not to miss out, the redhead leapt up from his comfortable bed and opened the door. Sure enough, Watari stood outside, amidst a group of people who were probably contestants. They all varied in appearance; some old, some young. Surprisingly, Matt found that there were more males than females.

"Hello, Matt," Watari greeted, formally.

The singer nodded back, but then noticed that he had not said even a word to the kind man.

"Hello," he added.

At this, Watari smiled. He looked like he was about to add something, but one of the people in the group grabbed his shoulder and mumbled something in his ear. The person was clearly a woman, with short, dark hair; probably of Asian descent.

"Yes, I'll see right to it." Watari smiled kindly at the woman. "Matt, it's time for dinner. Grab whatever you need to take with you, and come with us."

"Okay."

Higuchi was leaving when he was entering.

"Hey, kiddo." Matt disliked the guy as it was, and Higuchi calling him 'kiddo' only added fuel to the fire. "Sorry. I forgot to add that we all go to dinner together. Remember my advice from earlier, and stay out of my shit."

Matt nodded, deciding that despite that the man, quite frankly, pissed him off, he would not start a fight. That would be the last thing he needed.

The only things Matt grabbed were his 3DS and his wallet. He figured he wouldn't need much else. Surprisingly, the people in the hallway had stopped to wait for him; probably under Watari's orders. It seemed every single contestant had some form of reverence for the older man.

Everyone's eyes followed Matt and the other contestants. They were quite a varied assortment, and all had an aura or strangeness; Especially Beyond. It would be better if Matt stayed away from him, that was for certain.

"There is a 94.7% chance that you are Matt Carter," Came a voice and a tap on the shoulder. Matt jumped, obviously startled.

"What the hell…?" Matt turned and found a pair of owl-like eyes boring into his. There was no mistaking it; the man looked just like Beyond, with porcupine hair and vampire-like skin included. Something told Matt that, despite his appearance, this man was not Beyond. This man eyes, while still creepy, were dark as night; eyes that were cold and calculating, like he had already analyzed Matt's every action and thought. Matt was sure whose eyes were scarier: Beyond's or this guy's.

"Judging by the way you reacted, I have deduced that you are Matt, and therefore, I will tell you that I am L." 'L' blinked a few times, and continued to stare Matt down. This was getting weirder and weirder…

"Um, hey." Matt wasn't sure how to respond to that. 'L', really? Like, the letter 'L'? Who names their kid that? Actually, it was most likely just his stage name. Either way, L was still the guy's name, and L continued to talk to him.

"Hello. By the way you have responded, I can tell you are slightly socially awkward and probably came from a bad home. Abusive parents, maybe? Hmm, the chance of that being true are 43.97%. You favor your left hand, and by the way you move your fingers, you play guitar?"

"Uhhh, yeah." Again, Matt was left to flounder helplessly as L bombarded him with questions. He wasn't that socially awkward. If anyone was socially awkward, it was this L guy.

"Are you able to say words, Matt Carter?"

"Yes, and I would appreciate it if you would shut up and stop asking so many damn questions!" Matt hadn't meant to yell at the guy. He just wanted some quiet.

"Okay, Matt Carter. I will do as you have requested because we are friends," L stated while looking at the ground, shuffling his bare feet. Shouldn't he be wearing shoes?

Wait a minute, did L just say they were friends? Who the hell is this guy?!

Matt just shook his head at himself. The others were all getting in the three limos waiting outside the doors. Curious about where they were going to eat, Matt listened in to the contestants around him. Unfortunately, none of them were talking about food. The only man talking about something remotely interesting was who had just introduced himself to the lady next to him as Matsuda and was now talking about The Song.

"Whose team do you want to be on?" Matsuda asked, excitedly.

"Whoever will help me win," She replied.

To be completely honest, Matt himself wasn't sure whose team he wanted to be one. Each judge was so different. He hadn't seen the show enough to really decide for himself, but he did some research on each one once he had sent in his video. It was better to be prepared, after all.

First, there was a sing/songwriter who went by the stage name Near. His real named was Nate Rivers. Based off of the pictures, the guy looked like a fucking albino: White hair, and pale skin that could rival both Beyond and L. He also looked kind of young. He became known for his rapping, which to Matt seemed more like a drone of random monotone words.

Next, there was Misa Amane, or 'Misa Misa.' Misa looked like your average American female pop star: Blonde hair, green eyes, wanted by men across the country. Her latest album came out last October. Rumors were going around saying that she and Light Yagami are dating.

Light Yagami was the third judge. He was famous for singing in the boy band, _Shinigami_. He goes by the stage name, 'Kira'. Kira, like Misa Misa, appealed to people because of his attractiveness. It made sense if they did date.

Lastly, was the great Mello. Matt couldn't find much on him, except that he was wanted by all. And when he said all, he meant _all_. Fan page after fan page, people continued to rant about his gloriousness. Could someone really be as attractive as they made him out to be? Matt then looked at the pictures. _Oh yeah, he was definitely as attractive as they made him out to be. _Not that he saw him in that way, _of course._ He was perfectly straight…. Maybe.

If he had the chance to choose, he would choose Mello, Matt figured. Though, the chances of him getting the privilege to choose was about 23.5 percent. Ha, now he sounded like L, who was sitting- no, crouching?- next to him in the limo.

The limo jutted to a halt. Matt looked out the window to see where they were. _Rem's Burgers. _He could already feel himself salivating. It had been months since he had had a burger. His parents were health freaks, so naturally it was a rare occurrence for Matt to eat fast food. He was almost numb with longing.

Once they were inside, Matt wasted no time ordering his food and sitting at one of the long tables in the back. L soon followed suit and sat next to him in that peculiar, crouching way of his. An awkward silence hung in the air. Matt could feel L's eyes on him.

"So, whose team do you want to be on?" It was the first thing that came to Matt's head. The silence was suffocating him.

L didn't say anything for a minute.

"I thought Matt Carter didn't want me talking to him?"

Again, what the hell…?

"You can talk to me L, but you can't rapid-fire questions at me. That's why I was telling you to shut up, okay?"

L nodded, but didn't say anything else because the food had arrived. The waitress carrying the food looked ill; her skin took on a slightly green tone; her eyes were red-ish, and she looked like she hadn't used a hairbrush in years. In an odd way, she reminded Matt of Ryuk.

That didn't matter now, though. Matt had his burger. All thoughts of anything other than the juicy meat in his mouth were long forgotten. It was heaven.

"Light Yagami."

"I'm sorry, what?" Matt woke from his ecstasy. What had he and L been talking about? Oh, yeah. Judges.

"I would want Light Yagami to choose me." For once, the raven's eyes weren't cold and calculating. A small smile graced his lips as he stared down at the table.

"Why is that?" Matt asked. Of course, he was expecting L to do another full analysis on why Light would be the perfect judge logically, but L said nothing. He was in a different world.

Well, that was weird.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

**Please **comment and favorite…yada yada yada.

AND IF YOU KNOW SOMEONE WHO IS WILLING TO BETA ME, PLEASE TELL THEM TO PERSONAL MESSAGE ME!


	3. Chapter 3

Hey, babies! Sage here, back and better than ever! Hopefully I'll get to write a lot more this summer. A vveeerrryyy special thanks to **CatatonicVanity** for agreeing to put up with my crap! So, if you didn't catch that, she is my Beta, so round of applause for her and her marvelous work! Also read her stuff, because it's fantastic. A long time ago, I read _Challenge of the Masquerade_ written by her and just realized she was the author, so check it out! Also some notes to the people who commented:

**IssaHORROR:** Thanks so much, and I plan to update a LOT more ;) ;)

**Tina Tissue:** You got it, hun. ;) ;) Now figure out which judge is which… (I kind of formed them after each coach's personality.)

**Lotta Devon:** Thanks so much!

**Awesomenessknowsnobounds:** You will find out in this chapter… mwhahahahahah!

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything belonging to Death Note or any game shows… All I own is the plot. Also, I do not own any celebrities (as much as I wish I did) and do not own Troublemaker by Olly Murs featuring Flo Rida. **

So that's about it. Enjoy!

….

"_For me, singing sad songs often has a way of healing a situation. It gets the hurt out in the open into the light, out of the darkness."_

_-Reba McEntire_

_**Chapter 3:**_

This was it. The Day. On _The Song. _Matt was going to perform in front of celebrities and massive crowds. He could even be on TV! Matt wasn't religious by any means, but that day he prayed to whoever would hear him out.

_All I want is a chance. Please, just give me a chance. _

Matt's feet were beginning to hurt from pacing so long. It was mid-day, and he had been stressing out all morning. He was currently waiting for his trainer to come and give him some advice on the song he had chosen. Then, he would run through some warm-ups before heading backstage to his destiny.

Would the judges like him? Would the audience? Matt knew a lot of how much the audience liked performers depended on their looks. For some, that was a deciding factor. Far-too-green eyes, unnatural-looking red hair, a couple freckles on his nose. Who would want that?

No. Matt shook away the thoughts. It was all in his head. Every now and then, those thoughts would seep into his head like inky black shadows hell-bent to destroy him. At times, they made him hate himself. They would make anyone hate themselves. But, 'anyone' wasn't Matt. He blocked them out as best he could.

"Matt Carter."

Matt swiveled his head to see a short, round lady smiling kindly at him. He smiled back, not showing the woman that he was fighting an internal battle. And he _was_ going to come out victorious.

Meanwhile, back in his Hollywood Hills Home, a blonde sat by his piano, clearly pissed at the man talking to him on the phone.

"WHAT THE HELL?! DUDE, THAT WAS A FUCKING 1959 GIBSON FLYING V! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW RARE THOSE ARE?! ALL YOU HAD TO DO WAS TAKE THAT GUITAR TO THE DAMN SHOP! … DO I SOUND LIKE I GIVE A FUCK THAT YOU WERE ROBBED AT GUNPOINT?! LOOK, THAT GUITAR WAS MORE VALUABLE THAN TEN OF YOU! ... YEAH, WELL SCREW YOU!"

Mello, ended the called and threw his iPhone across the room. People could be so difficult! Damn it, now he was one 250,000 dollar guitar short. Not a great way to start the day.

Oh, and not to mention he had to be on a game show that night, with his arch rival: Near. He hated the guy. Rap shouldn't even be considered music, especially when Near sang it so emotionlessly. Light and Misa were okay, but sometimes a little annoying. Though, Mello thought just about everyone was annoying. Wait, actually, everyone was annoying. No, scratch that; people were fucking obnoxious.

Mello let out a groan. He couldn't even get his thoughts together. Why was he still in the music business again? To be honest, Mello wasn't quite sure. There was a time, even if Mello could only vaguely remember it, that he actually dreamed of being famous; of being on stage and hear thousands of screaming fans who adored him. Now, it just pissed him off.

The more adoration he had gotten, the more he had realized how superficial the human race was. All they loved was his body, he could tell by the way they would stare. He was just another pretty face, and a lonely one at that. Mello couldn't name one true friend if he tried. People were vain. People were selfish. People betray one another. Why would Mello purposefully hang out with someone who would eventually hurt him?

Playing a few notes on the piano, Mello let out a quiet sigh. Not one of his fans knew he could play the piano. Such a soft, gentle instrument could ruin his bad boy image. It would piss of his agents.

Speak of the devil, the cell phone across the room rang.

Wincing at the cracked screen- even though he could easily replace it- he answered.

"Hello?"

"Mels, baby, what's up? I'm just letting you know I have a limo coming for you around five to take you to the studio and prep you for tonight."

"Sure, sure." Mello mumbled, barely aware of what one of his agents was saying.

He was getting real tired of living 'The Dream'…

….

"Ladies, and gentlemen, that was Matsuda who will be on Team Misa-Misa! What an outstanding performance!" Ryuk yelled to the crowd enthusiastically. One more contestant, and then Matt was up.

The whole day had been exhausting. Who knew trying on outfits could take three entire hours? Vocal warm-ups were another hour and a half. Practice on the stage took about five if you counted watching some of the others preform as well. Sound checks, makeup, eating at some point… It was all a blur.

From where he was standing, Matt could see nothing of the real stage. He sat in a room with the rest of the people who were to preform that night. The room was just close enough for Matt to be able to hear the cheers, Ryuk's announcements, and the singing of his fellow contestants. It was hard to believe that one of them was going to be the next big thing.

Matt was feeling kind of lonely. L hadn't shut up all day, but now that the raven-haired man was waiting by the stage, Matt had begun to miss his company. Then, he felt it.

Everything was silent. It was a silence Matt had heard so many times already that day. It was the silence before the music began; before singers left their hearts on stage. The weight in the air drastically increased. Matt listened closely.

It was time for L to sing.

"You're a troublemaker.

You're a troublemaker..."

L whispered the words into the microphone, like it was a secret he shared with the audience. Then, the music began to start.

"You ain't nothing but a troublemaker girl

You had me hooked again from the minute you sat down

The way you bite your lip

Got my head spinnin' around

After a drink or two

I was putty in your hands

I don't know if I have the strength to stand

Oh oh oh..."

L sounded amazing! His voice was low and sultry, like the musical form of sex itself. There was no way _that_ was the introvert Matt had been talking to half an hour ago. This was a completely different man. Matt was next, so one of the staff politely told him to follow them.

"Trouble, troublemaker. Yeah

That's your middle name

Oh oh oh...

I know you're no good but you're stuck in my brain

And I wanna know

Why does it feel so good but hurt so bad

Oh oh oh...

My mind keeps saying

Run as fast as you can

I say I'm done but then you pull me back

Oh oh oh...

I swear you're giving me a heart attack

Troublemaker!"

The audience loved him, if their deafening screams were anything to go by. Surely, he had been picked by all four judges already. Matt felt a wave of jealously flood through him, but it went away just as quickly. L was his friend- according to the owl-eyed man, anyway- so Matt figured he should be happy for the guy. The staff member had just lead him into the room with a door leading to the stage.

"It's like you're always there in the corners of my mind

I see a silhouette every time I close my eyes

There must be poison in those finger tips of yours

Cause I keep comin' back again for more

Oh oh oh...

Trouble, troublemaker, yeah

That's your middle name

Oh oh oh...

I know you're no good but you're stuck in my brain

And I wanna know

Why does it feel so good but hurt so bad

Oh oh oh...

My mind keeps saying

Run as fast as you can

I say I'm done but then you pull me back

Oh oh oh...

I swear you're giving me a heart attack

Troublemaker

Why does it feel so good but hurt so bad

Oh oh oh...

My mind keeps saying

Run as fast as you can

Troublemaker

I say I'm done but then you pull me back

Oh oh oh...

I swear you're giving me a heart attack

Troublemaker

Maybe I'm insane

Cause I keep doing the same damn thing

Thinking one day we gon' change

But you know just how to work that back

And make me forget my name

What the hell you do I won't remember

I'll be gone until November

And you'll show up again next summer, yeah!

Typical middle name is Prada

Fit you like a glove girl

I'm sick of the drama

You're a troublemaker

But damn girl it's like I love the trouble

And I can't even explain why

Why does it feel so good but hurt so bad

Oh oh oh...

My mind keeps saying

Run as fast as you can

Troublemaker

I say I'm done but then you pull me back

Oh oh oh...

I swear you're giving me a heart attack

Troublemaker

Why does it feel so good but hurt so bad

Oh oh oh...

My mind keeps saying

Run as fast as you can

Troublemaker

I say I'm done but then you pull me back

Oh oh oh...

I swear you're giving me a heart attack

Troublemaker"

L whisper the last part, ending the song. The whole crowd went insane. If Matt were honest with himself, L had the best performance of anyone that far. Matt had some big shoes to fill, after that.

Like poison, insecurity seeped through his veins, taunting him and making him ill.

No one would pick him. No one back home had even liked him. Why would millions of people on television like him? Why would four incredibly famous celebrities like him? Matt Carter was a nobody.

"Well L, it looks like all four judges took off their blindfolds for you, so you get to pick," Ryuk stated. Of course L had been chosen by all for artists. They'd be crazy not to want him on their team.

"Hm, thank you, Ryuk. It seems to me the wisest choice is Team Light." So he chose Light after all…

"Yes! I'm so glad to have you on my team, L! We are going to win this!" That would have to have been Light. The crowd let out another round of screams, happy because L was on their favorite team, or mad because he wasn't.

After the laughter died down a bit, and a couple snide comments from the judges, it was time for Matt to go onstage. Hesitantly, he walked to its center. He only sound in the whole room was his Converse sliding across the floor. It was single-handedly the scariest moment of his life.

The music began, and Matt sucked in a breath.

'_It's show time…'_

…

Read and Review! You have no idea how much each comment means to me. Also, did anyone catch the irony in L singing Troublemaker? Shout out to the first person to get it right.

Hugs,

-Sage


	4. Chapter 4

Hello, my babies! I bet you are all about to pass out from shock, that I disappear for months then just start writing again! Well, I'm surprised too. The story seems to be writing itself and that is just awesome! Also a big thanks to **CatonicVanity** for being an amazing beta! Now, here is the REAL ch 4!

**Tina Tissue:** That's cool! When I first thought up this story, those were the judges on the show (Cee-lo and Xtina were replaced by Usher and Sakira). You were 100% correct! Congrats! Thanks for the complement! And I absolutely LOVE CV! She is an amazing beta and I am so grateful for her.

**Carottal:** Yes ma'am you are absolutely correct! I just want to take a moment to thank you for the AMAZING review you left for me. Most people would just write me a 'great job' or 'update more', but you actually gave me something to work with. It means so so sooooo much that you took the time. And about the identity thing, when he signed up, I'm sure they knew his real name, and that was a stage name, just like Fergie's real name is Stacy Ferguson or Lady Gaga's is Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta (thank goodness she goes by Lady Gaga and not that mouthful). Thirdly, I have once tried cutting out part of a song and some hater came along saying I should put the whole song in it and that I was ruining the words. From now on though, I think I will follow your advice on that. I hope you will be surprised as the story progresses!

**KKartter:** Thanks! And yes, I plan on updating a lot more soon. ;)

**KIM JEEVAS:** Gracias, amiga. Yo hablo espanol un poco, pero comprendo nada. Estoy muy loca, a veces. Aquí está el siguiente capítulo. Espero que lo disfruten!

**Disclaimer: If I owned Death Note, there would be a lot more Matt and Mello… Also, Second Chance is owned by Shinedown.**

…

"_I'm singing what I want to sing based on the emotion of what that day feels like. That's what comes out of my mouth and guitar. That impacts people. They know anything can happen."_

_-John Mayer_

_**Chapter 4:**_

_ 'Damn it, I lost another one_,' thought Mello as he reminisced over his most recent loss. It had been like that all. Fucking. Night. At least this time it was to Light, and not Near. The stupid sheep had stolen almost every single singer Mello had taken of his blindfold for. He was getting the next one, that was for damn sure.

Silence. Shoes on the stage. Probably sneakers, if Mello had to guess. In his head, he tried to picture the guy or girl on the stage. The same thought was running through the other three judges' minds too, he just knew it. The Song was, in theory, all about what was on the inside, not appearances. That was bullshit. In the end, the winner would be the one able to manipulate the most people. Manipulation required charm. To have charm, you had to be attractive. It all lead back to looks.

"_My eyes are open wide_

_By the way, I made it through the day"_

Mello knew it was a male, then. The voice was deep, and had a distinct uniqueness. Though it sounded nothing like the original song, the voice was made to sing it; if it wasn't so shaky, anyway… Whoever was on that stage had some serious confidence issues.

"_I just saw Hayley's comet_

_She waved_

_Said, "Why you always running in place?"_

_Even the man in the_

_Moon disappeared_

_Somewhere in the_

_Stratosphere"_

The voice had potential, if it wasn't so fucking nervous. Mello had never had an issue with confidence. He wore it like a second skin. Some would go as far as to say he was arrogant. Mello was sexy, and he just so happened to know it. People ate it up.

"_I'm not angry, I'm just saying..._

_Sometimes goodbye_

_Is a second chance"_

Near hummed in satisfied manner. Had he already removed his blindfold? Oh, hell no. Low self-esteem or not, the male had talent. How much talent was debatable, but talent nonetheless. Mello was going to win this one, but only for the sake of beating Near. To be honest, Mello didn't really give a shit about the singer. This was a battle between him and Near.

"_This is my one and_

_Only voice_

_So listen close, it's_

_Only for today"_

The song was coming to a close. Hesitantly, Mello reached behind his head to pull off the blindfold. He'd be damned if he let Near take another one, even if he wasn't the best singer of the night. But by the way Near had been slightly humming along, he must have enjoyed the performer. The blindfold was off. This would be a slap in the face to the albino.

Except that Near hadn't taken off his blindfold.

Had Mello been wrong? Near was supposed to have already take off his blindfold, determined to win over yet another singer. Then, Mello would sweet talk the young man into joining his team, therefore gaining a small victory against Near.

The blindfolded pigment-less rapper bobbed his head slightly to the beat, but seemed to have no intention of taking off the blindfold any time soon. He had planned for that to happen!

"_Tell my mother,_

_Tell my father_

_I've done the best I can_

_To make them realize_

_This is my life_

_I hope they understand_

_I'm not angry, I'm just saying..._

_Sometimes goodbye_

_Is a second chance_

_Sometimes goodbye_

_Is a second chance…."_

As the song ended, Mello fought the urge to punch something, mainly Near. The damn sheep was sabotaging his team! Hell would freeze over before that boy would even get past the elimination rounds.

Said 'boy' was standing awkwardly on the stage, shuffling his feet back and forth. On his head was a wild mop of unruly, fiery, red hair. A pair of orange goggles cover his eyes and a small portion of his pale face. To some, the boy could be attractive; more cute-ish than sexy.

His wardrobe needed some work, though. Stripes were disgusting. And a fur vest? Mello half expected to look down and find a pair of Crocs. That was not going to go well for the new singer's image.

Ryuk made his way across the stage, stating some things about Matt's performance. Oh right, Mello had some obligations to fulfil. He was the guy's mentor, since no one else had bothered to remove there blindfold during the song. The others had removed theirs when Ryuk started talking. Mello leaned forward in his chair.

"So, what is your name?" he asked the ginger.

"Matt," a pause, "Matt Carter." Matt beamed, like the realization just dawned on him that he had made the blindfolded auditions. So naïve… how on earth was Mello going to be able to handle this one?

"Well, Matt, it looks like you're going to be on my team," Mello said, trying not to send a glare Near's direction.

"Oh my gosh, thank you so much. You have no idea how much this means to me!" the teen -well, he looked like a teen, 18 or so- rambled on. It was giving Mello a fucking headache. He would have to deal with this for _at_ _least _the next week.

"Congratulations, Matt. We'll see you next week for the first elimination round," Ryuk explained, even though Matt already knew it. He had made it! He was on Team Mello.

Smiling from ear to ear, Matt exited the stage. Back in the lounge, he was greeted by all those who had made it. He was surprised –and a little disappointed- that Higuchi had made it. The Asian woman who had been talking to Watari was checking her phone. The man who had introduced himself as Matsuda was contently munching on a doughnut, oblivious to the world.

"Matt Carter, you made it. There was a 42.9% chance that I would be seeing you here after your performance." L appeared behind him, even though Matt hadn't heard the introvert move. Matt was in too much of a shock to say anything.

He was on Team Mello! He still couldn't believe someone had actually picked him. And Mello, of all people! Mello, lead singer of the legendary band, Leather 6, was going to be teaching him vocals the next week!

"Matt Carter, are you even paying attention? You seem to be in a bit of a dazed state," L inquired, black eyes piercing through Matt's googles.

"Huh? Oh, yeah." Matt nodded slightly. Perhaps 'just being in shock' was an understatement.

"It seems for now, we can remain friends, since you are to compete against those on your own team the first round. From what I have seen so far, there is a 84.2% chance that I beat out whoever I compete against, taking into account the people on Team Light so far: Kiyomi Takada, and Teru Mikami," L summed. Matt was about 96.3% L was coming up with the statistics off the top of his head.

There was one TV in the lounge, streaming live feed from the performances. A boy stood on the stage, holding a guitar. He was probably no older that sixteen.

To say the kid sucked would be a compliment. Matt couldn't even recognize the song, it was so off-pitch. Each flat note was worse than its predecessor. Some of the contestants in the lounge were holding their hands over their ears, just to stop the thing that shouldn't even be called singing.

When the song was over, no judge had bothered to take off their blindfold. How had the boy even managed to make it on The Song?

"So what's your name?" Near asked calmly, addressing the boy.

"Taro Kagami," he replied. Ryuk was chortling next to Taro, for some reason of another.

"It was a great performance, Taro! We really enjoyed it. We just… aren't looking for those types on vocals on the teams right now. I'm sorry, sweetheart," Misa-Misa gushed, being the ever-so-sweet one.

Taro nodded mutely, and shuffled off the stage in a destroyed disposition.

"That concludes tonight's episode of The Song. Join us next week," Ryuk said into the camera.

All four judges got out of their chairs and stretched. They entered their own lounge room to relax for a while.

"Are you excited about your newest member?" Near asked Mello with a smirk.

"Of course I'm not, you fucking sheep!" Mello yelled back at him.

"Would you guys chill out? Misa-Misa liked Matt. She thought he was just adorable," Misa gushed. Both singers ignored her, and continued with their bickering. Near was so damn annoying, that Mello had to leave and get some fresh air.

Slamming the door behind him, Mello escaped the building and went in search for his motorcycle. He hopped on and sped off to the closest gas station for some chocolate. God knew he needed it.

Not long after he had left, Mello heard a familiar siren and saw obnoxious flashing lights in his rearview mirror. '_Damn it.' _Slowly he pulled to the side, partially debating whether or not he should try to escape.

"Sir, you realize you were going twenty five miles over the limit," the police man said, walking to the side of the motorcycle. Mello took off his helmet, and ran a couple finger through his hair.

"My god, you're Mello. As in, Leather 6 Mello! I'm a huge fan of your work!" The police man exclaimed.

Mello nodded, grimacing.

"Can I… I'm sorry; this is a little awkward… Can I get your autograph? Maybe we can let the ticket slide. You were obviously going somewhere important." Mello nodded again, this time accepting the pen and paper. Cliché as it was, this sort of thing happened to him all the time. More proof that appearance is everything.

Mello signed the paper, and hopped back on his motorcycle. He was gone before the man had time to even say 'thank you.'

Mello returned to his home, chocolate bar included, around one in the morning, give or take. A few lights were on; lights that he distinctly remembered turning off. A silver BMW convertible was parked in his long, winding driveway.

Mello opened the door and made his way to the bedroom. That was where his guest was, anyway.

"Welcome home, Mello. Did you miss me?" said his guest. Mello nodded, but held back the urge to just roll his eyes. What was her name again? Mello couldn't ever keep track of names. She was a model, he could remember that much.

"Why don't you come over here and _show _me how much you miss me?" she purred. Mello shuffled over, and allowed her to plant kisses on his neck.

It was all part of the reputation. If he were completely honest with himself, Mello was bored with the girls he came home to almost every night. He wasn't ever satisfied, and when they left, he just felt emptier than before. What was wrong with him?

_He could have anything he wanted, so why wasn't he happy?_

…_._

_Read and Review. Comments put a smile on my face._


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